Guard-rail structure



- Aug. 1-6, 1927.

E. R PACKER GUARD RAIL STRUCTURE Filed Avril 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug; 16, 1927. 1.6391 32 E. R. PACKED? GUARD nun STRUCTURE 4 Fil edhpril a. 1925 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

1,639,232 PATENT OFFICE.

EBEN RAY PACKER, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO I. & C. COMPANY,v OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

GUARD-RAIL Application filed April 3,

The improved guard rail of the present invention is designed particularly with a view to producing an improved construction which may be readily cast as an integral unit and to be highly efiicient and economical in the weight of material employed. The design is further directed to the pro; duction of an improved guard rail adapt-ed successfully to meet the severe conditions,

in of its useand to offer substantial advantages over the types of guard rails as heretofore employed. v

A further particular object of the present improvements isto provide an integral !5 guard rail structure adapted to be rigidly secured in position upon the ties without the use of bolts, clamps or special securing devices and to be readily, adjusted or posi- I d The outwardly directed surfaces of the tioned in'properly spacedrelation to the frog point for the protection of which it is used. It further incorporates improved. features designed and operative to resist the severe lateral thrusts to which the head of the guard rail is subjected and effectively to resist the tendency to tilt .inwardlyas a result of such pressures The improved securing means is further of a character which allows for readily adjusting the position of the guard rail or for adjusting the position of the associated track rail with relation thereto to compensate for wear of the flange engagingsurfaces of one or the other. Y The described and other features of my invention will be understood by; reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters are applied to the corresponding features in the several'views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a guard rail, constructed to embody the features of my invention, as used'inconnection with a running rail.

Fig. 2 is a view in sideelevation sihow ing the guard rail ofFig. 1. j

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sec tional View taken on line,33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a similar view taken on line li of Fig; 1.

Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, illustrate desirable modifications of the preceding figures of which v Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view illustrating a suitable modification.

6 is a partial plan view of afurther STRUCTURE.

1925. serial no. 20,557.

structure'is indicated as a whole by G and comprises, as an integrality, a guard rail portion or head member 4, a web 5, and base flange portion 6. The head member is formed in the usual manner with inwardly flared end portions 77 connected by a central, straight or tangent port-ion thereof.

flared portions Tupon being engaged by the car wheels, guide their travel or movement to properly clear the frog point with relation to which the guard rail is spaced in its installation; Associated with the end portions of'the guard rail, there are pro vided the usual foot guards 88 which may. desirably, be formed integrally with the guard rail structure.

To provide a substantial base'support for the guard rail it is integrally formed with outwardly extended base flange extensions or tie plates 10, positioned with respect to the spacing ofthe ties and of a size, as illustrated, to underlie the track rail and to extend outwardly beyond the outer edge of the base flange thereof, at whichportion it is provided with stepped spike apertures 11.

The guard rail is likewise provided upon its inner side with base flange extensions 12-12, positioned to'overlie the ties and provided with spike apertures 13.

With the structure, as'described, there is further incorporated special means to reinforce the guard rail'against lateral thrust and to oppose tilting of the guard rail inwardly with relation to the track rail as a result of the severe inward pressures imparted thereto by the rolling stock. In accordance with my invention, the .thrust opposing means comprises outwardly extended ribs 14 andinwardly extending reinforcing ribs 15 and in the'further special form of the foot guard member hereby it is adapted to coact in opposing the tilting action. The inwardly directed ribs 14, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, are positioned or spaced centrally with relation to the respective ties, intermediate of the guard rail ends, are formed to provide clearance for the wheel flanges and at their inner, upper edges are provided with longitudinally enlarged engaging shoulders, 16, positioned to have engagement with the fishing surface at the underside of the track rail head upon any tilting movement of the guard rail proper with relation thereto. The opposition to tilting thereby afforded is particularly effective by reason of the substantial resistance of the track rail supplemented by the weight of the rolling stock carrier thereon.

The foot guard members 8 are similarly provided with rail head engaging shoulders 17 formed as longitudinally extending ribs and in accordance with the present invention, the shoulders 16 of the reinforcing ribs and the shoulder 17 of the foot guard members are similarly proportioned and of a size to provide a slight clearance or space between their upper surfaces and the fishing surface of the rail head of, for instance, one thirty-second of an inch or over. As a result of such clearance and in the desired absence of any stop engagement between the track rail and guard rail, the two rails may be adjusted in their relation one to the other with a substantial range of movement. The clearance provision as thus provided, is particularly desirable in pro viding ample range of adjustment of the guard rail whereby it may be accurately positioned in properly spaced relation to the frog point for the protection of which it is used and further allows for a desirable range of adjustment in the spaced relation of the guard rail and the track rail with which it is associated.

The ribs 14 are desirably of the improved form as shown, having their outwardly directed sides or edges of convex curvature, providing clearance for the track rail flange and the outer sides or surfaces of the foot guard members 8 formatively correspond to provide the desired clearance for thetraek rail flange and to be of a substantial strength. i

The inner reinforcing webs 15, as shown, are positioned centrally with relation to respective ties intermediate of the guard rail ends and are vertically positioned and formed to connect the guard rail head and web portions with the base flange extensions. 11. The inner, upper edges thereof are inclined at approximately a a5 degree angle and connect the top of the rail head with the innermost edge of the base extension. The ribs 15 are accordingly designed'to offer a very substantial degree of opposition to the lateral thrusts on the guard rail form possessing of economy in the casting thereof and may.

be with advantage, made of manganese steel or other high grade steel producing a guard rail of very substantial strength and durability at a comparatively low cost by reason of the economical and advantageous distribution of the material therein.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a modified construction wherein the guard rail is composed of a head portion 25, web portion 26,

and base flange 27 having the tie plate extensions 28 and inward extensions 29. In this modification the web portion 26 of the guard rail is, as shown, curved or arched inwardly, longitudinally throughout its length, thereby lending strength to the structure in opposing the inward thrusts or pressures.-

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, I have illustrated a further desirable modification of my,

improved guard rail. conforming generally to the structure as first described, but wherein the web portion of the guard rail, instead of being a longitudinally continuous vertical section, is deformed inwardly or of inwardly arched contour intermediate of the ties whereby the distribution of the material will be such as to further contribute to the strength of the section in'opposing the lateral thrust.

In the illustration of the modified form the guard rail is shown composed of the head portion 25', formed of a central tangent portion and flared end portions in the usual manner, a web portion 26, a base 27 having. integral outwardly extending tie plate extensions 28 and inward flange extensions 29 in transverse alignment therewith and positioned upon the respective ties. The web portion 26, as shown, is arched inwardly with a maximuminclination at the points located centrally between the ties and progressively decreasing in inclination to each side thereof with a gradual alteration of the section toward the vertical and merg I ing into a web section positioned above the ties of reverse curvature as best shown in Fig. 7 wherein the base of the web is in close proximity to the track rail flange. As illustrated, there is associated therewith the spaced outwardly extended thrust opposing ribs 14-. and the inwardly extended reinforcing webs 15, corresponding in form and arrangement generally with the ribs and webs of the disclosure first illustrated. As' will be apparent from the illustration, the arch head portion having its ends inwardly flared, a web portion and a base supporting structure consisting of abase flange'having tie plate extensions adapted to underlie the track rail and positioned to overlie the ties and inward base flange extensions positioned to' overlie the ties, inwardly extended bracing webs connecting the guard rail head and inner base flange extensions and formed as transverse vertical walls having their upper edges'inclined at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees, outwardly extended rib portions connecting the head and tie plate extensions and formed at their outer and upper edge portions with shoulders in close spaced relation to and underlying the fishing surface of the track rail head and having being provided at their outer upper edges with shoulders positioned to underlie the track rail head fishing surface in spaced relation thereto, substantially as described.

2. An integral guard rail structure having in combination, a head member having its end portions inwardly flared, a web portion, a base supporting structure having tie plate extensions underlying the track rail and positioned to overlie the ties and inward base flange extensions positioned to overlie the ties intermediate of the guard rail end portions, inwardly extended bracing webs connecting the guardrail head and-inner base flange extensions, outwardly extended rib portions connecting the head member and tie plate extensions and positioned centrally with relation to the intermediate ties, said ribs having their outer sides of convex cur vature providing clearance for the track rail base, foot guard members provided at the respective end portions of the guard rail.

and having the upper walls thereof connected at their inner ends to one of the rib members and said foot guard members and rib members being provided at their outer,

upper edges with shoulders positioned to underlie the track rail head fishing surface of equi-distantly spaced relation thereto, substantially as described.

3. An'integral guardrail structure having inrcoinbination, a head member having its end portions inwardly flared, a web portion,

a base supporting structure, outwardly extended rib portions positioned centrally with relation to the'ties intermediate of the guard rail ends, foot guard members provided at the respective end portions of the guard rail and'having the upper walls thereof con nected at their inner ends to one of the rib members and said footguard members and rib members being provided 'at their outer,

upper edges with shoulders positioned to underlie the track rail head fishing surface in equi-distantly spaced relation thereto and having their outer side edges of convex curvature, providing clearance for the track rail base flange.

4. A guard rail structure comprising a head member having its end. portions inwardly flared, aweb portion and a base supporting structure consisting of a base flange having tie plate extensions adapted to underlie the track rail, said web portion consisting of a single wall longitudinally of uniform depth connecting the head member and base flange and being arched inwardly intermediate of the ties with a maximum inclination of the wall, considered with relation to the vertical plane, centrally of the tie spacing and of progressively decreasing inclination at each side thereof and said 111- wardly arched portions of the web being of a length to substantially span the norma distance between ties.

5. A guard rail structure comprising a head member having its ends inwardly flared, a web portion and a base supporting structure consisting of a base flange having tie plate extensions adapted to underlie the track rail, said web portion being of arched contour intermediate of and substantially spanning the space between the ties and having a maximum inclination in the vertical plane centrally of the tie spacing with a progressively decreasing inclination approaching the ties and having portions of the web overlying the ties outwardly inc ined into close proximity with the track rail base.

upper edges with shoulders positioned to underlie the track rail head iisliing surface in equi-distantly spaced relation thereto and having their outer side edges of convex curvature, providing clearance for the track rail base flange, and said web portion being arched inwardly intermediate of the ties with a maximum inclination, considered With relation to the vertical plane centrally of the tie spacing and of progressively decreasing inclination at each side thereof.

7. An integral guard rail structure comprising a head member having its ends inwardly flared, a Web portion and a base supporting structure consisting of a base flange having tie plate extensions adapted to underlie the track rail and inward base flange eX- tensions positioned to overlie the ties intermediate of the guard rail end portions inwardly extended bracing webs connecting the guard rail head and inner base flange extensions, outwardly extending rib members connecting the head member and tie plate extensions and positioned centrally with relation to the intermediate ties, foot guard members provided at the respective end portions of the guard rail, said rib members and foot guard members being provided at their outer, upper edges with shoulders positioned to underlie the track rail head fishing surface in spaced relation thereto and said Web portion being of arched contour intermediate of and substantially spanning the space between the ties and having a maximum inclination in the vertical plane centrally of the tie spacing with a progressively decreasing inclination toward the ties and having portions of the web overlying the ties outwardlycurved into close proximity with the track rail base.

8. A guard rail structure comprising a head member having its end portions inwardly flared, a web portion and a base supporting structure consisting of a base flange having tie plate extensions adapted to underlie the track rail, said Web portion, considered in a horizontal plane, being arched inwardly intermediate of the ties and for a distance substantially equal to the normal tie spacing and said arched portions beingconnected by longitudinally straight por tions overlying the respective ties.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York this 26th day of February A. D. 1925.

EBEN RAY PACKER.

CERTIFICATE OF (IQRREGTION.

Patent No. 1,639, 232. Granted August 16, 1927, to

EBEN RAY PACKER it is hereby certified that the name of the essignee in the above numbered patent was erroneonsiy written and printed as "1. 8t 6. Gompany", whereas said name should have been written and printed as "Q. tit L: Germany", as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of November, A. D. 1927.

M; J. Moore,

Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

